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Sunday, April 24, 2005
Reyes says numbers, not ID system, better
By Stephen Capillas
* Militant groups insist system to crack down on opposition
LOCAL Government Secretary Angelo Reyes said a national reference number system would prove more effective and less controversial for the National Government than the national ID system.
In a dialogue with members of the local media in last Thursday evening's 55th induction of officers of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC), Reyes said the way he understands it, an executive issuance won't suffice for the creation of an ID system in the country.
The proposal for a national ID system had been strongly opposed by rights and militant groups who said this would be used to crack down on legitimate opposition with Karapatan lawyer Beverly Musni saying it is a "direct attack" on the rights of persons to privacy.
Despite this Reyes said it would take an act of legislation to install the ID system.
"I understand that there is this Executive Order (EO) supposedly formalizing the creation of this ID system. The Palace has lawyers for this and I would rather not comment on the legalities," the secretary said.
Reyes said he acknowledges the opposition for the ID system, adding that the fears were caused by its perceived invasion of privacy on the persons and the lack of legal safeguards for its implementation.
In this light, he said the national reference system is much better since it can be applied on existing documents and can be linked to a central records system.
"This system is being implemented in countries like Singapore and Malaysia. It's not new. The national reference number system can be used on Social Security System (SSS) cards, license plates. In students, their IDs have numbers also," he said.
Outrage
Reyes said there are safeguards for the implementation of the national reference number system especially when it concerns bank records.
"No one can search for bank records without securing a court order. The point is, if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear," he said.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued last Thursday an executive order seeking to start the implementation of the national ID system by harmonizing the identification systems of government agencies.
Arroyo said there is an urgent need to integrate the issuance of identification cards in government to reduce costs and provide greater convenience for those transacting business with government.
"A unified identification system will facilitate private businesses, enhance the integrity and reliability of government-issued identification cards in private transactions, and prevent violations of laws involving false names and identities," she said.
Under Executive Order (EO) 420, all government agencies, including government corporations issuing ID cards to their members or constituents, will adopt a unified multi-purpose ID system.
The unified ID system will be adopted within 60 days from the effectivity of the EO, which was issued last April 13.
However, groups like Karapatan insisted that the national ID system is a throwback to the Marcos regime and added that it can be used to stifle progressive groups.
Karapatan lawyer Beverly Musni in a cell phone interview said the President's signing of the EO facilitating the national ID system is a "direct attack on the rights of persons to their privacy."
She said the President signed the EO despite a Supreme Court decision declaring the national ID system illegal. With the EO, Musni said the government can crack the whip on people opposing the oil price increases and the increased Value Added Tax (VAT).
"Because of this (this move) will invite outrage and the people would fight the ID system imposed by President Arroyo," she told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (With reports from AP)
(April 23, 2005 issue)
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